This morning, I came across some sticks from an old oak tree. What I found captivated the "photographer" within.
Winter can be a difficult time for most gardeners. It's considered to be an off season - washing containers, checking equipment, and other random tasks. What projects could I do to add some winter interest to my garden? Start with something simple like bird feeders. Before installing your bird feeder, consider the location. Place the feeder away from high traffic areas, including cars and pedestrians; near to an area of cover like bamboo or an evergreen; and near a source of water. After getting your bird feeder to the best possible spot, it is time to pick up some feed. During the winter birds are interested in gaining some serious fat. So provide them with feed that is high in protein.
Another thing you could add to your project is a bird bath. At Compton Gardens we decided to create our own bird bath using trunks of fallen trees and a chainsaw. After scooping out the bowl, we added a mossy rock (for a landing pad), and some plants to give it a natural, living aesthetic.
After doing these few things at our garden, the result has been dramatic. I've counted 15 or more species of birds at a time in the area providing a winter garden with an abundance of color.
My favorite time of the year is harvest! That's the time when the apples are ready to be picked for cider making.
I searched for apple varieties like Arkansas Black, Enterprise, Gold Rush, Ben Davis, Falawater, Lady, and Newton Pippin. The apple blend resulted in a high sugar, however low tannin, cider. The older varieties of apples were not as plentiful to have an impact on the dryness of this year's drink.
As for equipment, I purchased a 1/2 horsepower garbage disposal to use as a grinder. It worked well; however, it did overheat a few times as it was powering through 3 1/2 bushels of apples. For the second year in a row, we used our hands to press the mash rather than a machine. I haven't quite had the time or resources to build a proper press.
Due to a low pressure system lingering above our wonderful state, we have been graced once again with bloom of interesting mushrooms! Keep your eyes to the ground as you go on your morning jog, or just a simple afternoon stroll. Just this morning I stumbled across an interesting specimen. "Wow! An exploding nipple mushroom," was the first thing that popped into my mind. Consequently, the name is actually earthstar mushroom. I'm not quite certain of its specific epithet, so I will reveal only the genus: Geastrum. For more information, just click here!
Over the past several days, my comrades and I have been removing Euonymus fortunei-common name is wintercreeper-which is an invasive plant species. It may look harmless, but it will easily choke out native plants and limit the biodiversity of an area very quickly. The garden staff and I devised a way of removing the plant by starting at the top of a slope and rolling it over itself similar to rolling carpet. As we were rolling the wintercreeper, many creatures would come out to greet us: worms, various insects, spiders, and a lovely little salamander.
Mr. Salamander was upset because the worms were eating all his food. I told Mr. Salamander that we would relocate the worms to another place if he would have a wrestling match with one of the worms. He agreed.
Eurycea lucifuga, which is the scientific name for Mr. Salamander, is a rare find in the wild. The common name for this species is the cave salamander. Its habitat is usually in caves where light can be found and near springs. In Arkansas, the animal is limited to the Ozarks in the northern part of the state; however, the cave salamander can be found in many central and eastern states. Even though this salamander is rare, it is not on the federal endangered species list. 
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